antiques road trip largest profit

BBC Antiques Road Trip's show first with huge record breaking profit on £60 item

One item, bought for just£60 in an antique shop in Margate, Kent, sold for a huge amount and became a record breaking profit for the hit BBC show

• 10:24, 23 Jan 2024

Antiques Road Trip experienced a show first back in 2021 after an item host Paul Laidlaw spotted sold for £20,000.

Antiques expert Paul picked up the rare camera for just £60 in an antique store in Margate, Kent, whilst shopping for collectables. Talking of his old-item store, the shop owner said: "Three floors, the upstairs is mainly furniture but there’s stuff everywhere. And on this floor, there are four rooms through and in the middle, there’s a staircase which goes down to a room full of chairs and another room full below!”

Undeterred by the huge task ahead of him, Paul joked: "Don’t send the calvary okay?" After some time, Paul finally returned to the desk, keen to settle on a good price for the old camera he'd come across. He said: "In your cabinet over there, optical instrument… £75 on that I bid you £50.”

The owner replied: "Give me £60 and I’ll shake your hand but I’m not doing any better than that, I’m afraid." The men shook hands, and the deal was made. "I think this is a very early camera. If I’m right, that could be quite exciting. The photographic market is very much in the ascent, it’s a hot market, I think that’s a good thing," Paul explained.

It wasn't long after Paul arrived at the Bury St Edmonds auction in Suffolk that the rare item caught Edward Crichton's eye as he revealed he'd "never seen one" before. Edward said: "The sub-miniature camera - I have never seen one, in fact, we have carried out some research and cannot find any other example which has sold at auction, we were very excited to see this and it has certain potential to make a significant profit.”

The bidding started at a staggering £1,000 and quickly increased in steps of thousands of pounds, "They’re not messing around," said rival Kate as Edward continued: "£3,000, £4,000." Paul, who noticed the shift in bidding, said: "He’s now taking £1,000 increments," and Kate added: "Which is a very rare thing."

Kate and Edward explained to those in the room: “It’s not a record price, a record price for a general sale is £15,000, for a home and interior sale £16,000. £17,000, £18,000, £19,000. £20,000."

The price continued to fly until the auctioneer closed the hammer saying: "At £20,000 online, at £20,000 if we’re all done, £20,000.” "I’m over the moon. I am genuinely flabbergasted,” Paul said reacting to the incredible sale. "Most items in this sale make between £50 and £500, so £20,000 is staggering, wonderful," Edward replied.

Kate was "chuffed" for Paul as the camera was purchased for £20,000 by a private collector in Switzerland. Paul’s massive profit of £19,940 beat the previous record, which was a Tibetan bronze deity bought for £50 by Anita Manning, selling for £3,800 in 2016. And all profits from the series went to Children in Need. You can watch Antiques Road Trip daily at 4.30pm on BBC Two.

MORE ON BBC Antiques Roadshow Antiques Road Trip

Get the biggest tv headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox.

MORE SECTIONS

• Dear Deidre
• Visual Stories

MORE FROM THE SUN

• Newsletters
• Deliver my newspaper
• Sun Vouchers
• The Sun Digital Newspaper

Antiques Road Trip’s Anita Manning breaks show records with eye-watering profit on Buddha statue

• Published : 12:24, 18 May 2021
• Updated : 12:55, 18 May 2021
• Published : Invalid Date,

ANTIQUES Road Trip's Anita Manning broke show records with an eye-watering profit on a Buddha statue.

The BBC One presenter , who purchased the rare item for just £50, made a staggering 7,500 per cent profit at auction.

The 73-year-old expert bought the statue from a vintage shop in Kent and sold it in Battle, East Sussex, for a whopping £3,800.

Anita, who was joined by antiques dealer Raj Bisram, was left gobsmacked as the bids went into the thousands.

The episode from 2016 saw an anxious Anita nervously wait for the auction to start.

She told Raj: "I’m on the edge of my seat. Hold my hand."

But the pair had nothing to worry about, the auctioneer declared: “There are a lot of bids on this and I have a lot of absentee bids on this. I am starting this at £1,000.”

The duo could not believe their luck as the bids kept coming in and a relieved Anita said she was thrilled that she trusted her instinct.

She said: "The old instinct kicked in, didn’t it?”

Raj was also left open-mouthed, saying it was a historic moment for the programme.

The TV expert said: "It’s flying and that’s a Road Trip record broken.”

The pair were giggling with excitement as the bidding war continued for the precious bronze Buddha.

The auctioneer finally brought down the hammer as someone had made a a last bid of £3,750.

The overwhelmed pair were besotted with the extraordinary profit and cheered with excitement.

MORE ON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

I spotted 'weird face' in hunk of stone - then I found out it's worth £5k

Antiques Roadshow guest in shock as she discovers huge value of stone head

I bought a painting for £8 - I was floored to learn it's worth THOUSANDS

'I'm bowled over!' says Antiques Roadshow guest after shocking brooch valuation

“I think that deserves a round of applause. Brilliant! The day belongs to you,” Raj declared as the auction room celebrated Anita’s win.

After the auction, Anita told viewers that she was pleased that she took a gamble on the unique piece.

She said: "Things like that can happen, so get out into your antique shops and keep searching."

When the competition started, the former bronze Buddha owner had £414 in the bank but walked away with a total of £3543.82.

Most read in TV

TV star leaves £1.6m fortune to two sons - including pricey London pad

Jeremy Clarkson makes heartbreaking U-turn on beloved animal he refused to eat

How Baby Reindeer morphed into a messy real-life circus as 'Martha’ hits back

Charlotte Crosby soaks up sun in Oz after revealing she 'wants to be pregnant'

“I think I’m a wee bit ahead of you now,” Anita told her co-star.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Double bankrupt Katie Price dishing out relationship advice for £120 per minute

I wish I never bought caravan in park owned by Alfie Best... it's full of SEWAGE

Some of the biggest profits have seen a £60 sub-miniature camera bought for £20,000.

Antiques Road Trip is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

• Antiques Roadshow

Antiques Road Trip's Izzie Balmer reveals most expensive sale – and it is seriously impressive

The auctioneer joined the bbc show last year.

Izzie Balmer has been the face of Antiques Road Trip this week along with Catherine Southon as they explore many gorgeous items on their journey. After joining the BBC programme in 2019, she's certainly no stranger to finding some amazing items, and recently revealed her biggest sale in her career – and it is impressive!

MORE:  Antiques Road Trip: Izzie Balmer reveals how Charles Hanson helped TV career

Speaking to Stylist in 2020, the 31-year-old auctioneer revealed the item that received the large sum: "[It was] an oil painting by a Derbyshire painter called George Turner.

WATCH: Antiques Road Trip's biggest ever sale on the show

"These would usually fetch between £3,000 to £7,000, but this one sold for £22,000."

The valuer, from Derbyshire, has picked up many tricks of the trade since joining the antiques industry soon after she graduated from university. In the same interview, Izzie explained how, despite her knowledge, she often gets overlooked by others in her line of work.

MORE:  Antiques Road Trip's Izzie Balmer talks downside of career

MORE:  Who is Antiques Road Trip's Charles Hanson family? Meet his wife and kids here

"I do sometimes get older men presuming that I don’t know anything. It’s just a matter of overcoming their pre-conceived ideas, winning them round and gaining their confidence," she told the publication.

Izzie Balmer on this week's Antiques Road Trip

After studying geography at degree level, Izzie went on to discover her love for dealing antiques after landing a role at a vintage shop, before going on to complete placements at auction houses. Izzie told the Source Vintage blog: "As each day passed I realised there was much more to antiques than the dusty old boring items I had originally thought them to be. Each item means something to someone and holds its own story."

The presenter then went on to land a job with Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip expert Charles Hanson, before she then secured more roles in TV. She started off by making a brief appearance on Bargain Hunt, filling in for her then boss, before going on to presenter Street Auction, Flog It! and then Antiques Road Trip. 

Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User  Data Protection Policy . You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information,  please click here .

• Antiques Road Trip

More TV and Film

Everything you need to know about Sean Bean's love life

Antiques Roadshow expert refuses to value item after hearing 'incredible' history

Antiques Roadshow guest 'choked up' after expert reveals 'amazing' valuation of family heirloom

Inside Bargain Hunt's Christina Trevanion's sweet years-long friendship with co-stars Philip Serrell and Charles Hanson

Agatha Christie's Poirot: why the main cast were left out of show

Antiques Roadshow guest emotional and in disbelief as expert reveals 'amazing' valuation of family heirloom

How much does The Repair Shop charge to fix items?

Antiques Roadshow expert tears up as he refuses to value object with 'awful' history

Antiques road trip star philip serrell shares rare snap of daughter , antiques road trip star izzie balmer wows fans with surprising new hobby, meet antiques road trip presenter paul martin's family, natasha raskin sharp reveals surprising reason she nearly lost out on antiques road trip role.

Antiques Road Trip makes history as damaged £8 item sells for huge profit

BBC expert Charlie Ross made history when he raked in thousands in profit on Antiques Roadshow after auctioning a second-hand damaged elephant for an eye-watering profit

• 11:06, 24 JAN 2024

Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inbox

We have more newsletters

A damaged elephant that was bought for £8 became one of the most memorable auction sales on Antiques Roadshow after bringing in a staggering profit.

Back in 2012, BBC experts Charlie Ross and James Braxton broke records when they were given a budget of just £200 to buy a selection of second-hand collectables in the hopes of making money.

But the stars could have never predicted just how much Charlie would make after he picked up a damaged elephant. After auctioning it off in Buckie, Scotland, the damaged item attracted huge online interest, sending Charlie’s profit skyrocketing.

Despite being purchased for just under a tenner, he sold it for a whopping £2700.

A voiceover told viewers: “With one lot each still to go, Charlie is only £7 ahead. Next up, it’s his Staffordshire elephant, and the auctioneer thinks it could go for a couple of hundred!”

The auctioneer started with: “£80 is online,” which was 10 times what Charlie originally paid for it.

But the elephant figure only continued to surpass expectations as the auctioneer continued: “£130 online that’s okay,” as a shocked Charlie reacted: “It’s jumped to £130?”

" £140 is on the phone,” the auctioneer then added as the voice-over explained: “This is getting really interesting; there are no more bids in the room but the phone and internet bids are really picking up!”

Charlie could no longer contain his excitement as the bids increased into the £400 range, and he jumped up out of his seat, exclaiming: “Sorry?”

But it only got more shocking as buyers put in offers of £600 and £650, and the expert remarked: “Are you hearing this? This is ridiculous!"

As the auctioneer then revealed bids were flying up to “£1000… £1200 online,” rival James realised there was no chance of him winning as he declared: “It’s all over.”

“£1400… £1800, £1900, £2000,” the auctioneer continued, and the voice-over exclaimed: “Unheard of on the Road Trip!”

" £2100, £2230, £2300 is on the phone. Are we all done online at £2500?” The auctioneer asked, but the bids kept on coming: ”£2600…”

“I fear my Road Trip is already over,” a defeated James joked as Charlie looked delighted. In the end, the auctioneer slammed his hammer down as the antique sold for an incredible £2700 online.

The sought-after elephant was snapped up by Myrna Schkolne from California, who said she had been looking for this elephant for 25 years.

“I saw this elephant on the website, and it was love at first sight,” she said and admitted to getting up at 5 am to bid over the phone which “took ages.”

Antiques Road Trip airs weekdays at 4.30 pm on BBC Two.

• Antiques Roadshow
• Most Recent

What Is the Highest Profit Made on Antiques Road Trip?

By Anna Duncan

Antiques Road Trip is a popular television show that has been entertaining audiences for years. The show follows a group of antique experts as they travel around the country in search of rare and valuable items.

Over the years, there have been some incredible finds on the show, but what is the highest profit made on Antiques Road Trip? Let’s take a look.

What Is Antiques Road Trip?

Antiques Road Trip is a British television program that first aired in 2010. The show follows two antique experts as they travel around the country in a classic car, searching for valuable antiques to sell at auction.

The experts start at an antique fair and are given a budget of £200 each to spend on items. They then travel to different locations, learning about the history and value of their finds before selling them at auction.

The Highest Profit Made on Antiques Road Trip

Over the years, there have been some incredible finds on Antiques Road Trip, but none quite as impressive as a Chinese vase that was bought for just £10 and sold for an incredible £40,000. In season 14 of the show, expert James Braxton came across the vase at an auction in Lincolnshire.

The Story Behind the Vase

The vase was part of a collection owned by an elderly woman who had recently passed away. Her family had no idea of its value and were selling it alongside other items from her estate. James Braxton spotted the vase and recognized it as being from the late 19th century Qing Dynasty period.

The Value of the Vase

James knew that Chinese ceramics were highly collectible and that this particular vase was likely to fetch a high price at auction. He estimated its value at between £10,000 and £20,000 but was stunned when it sold for £40,000.

The Chinese vase that sold for £40,000 is by far the highest profit made on Antiques Road Trip. It just goes to show that you never know what treasures might be hiding in plain sight, and it pays to have an expert eye when it comes to antiques. If you’re a fan of the show or just love antiques, keep your eyes peeled for hidden gems in your local antique store or at garage sales – you never know what you might find!

• Expert Tip: Always do your research before buying any antiques. Look up similar items online to get an idea of their value and make sure you’re getting a good deal.
• Expert Tip: Don’t be afraid to haggle – many antique dealers are willing to negotiate on price.

8 Related Question Answers Found

What's the biggest profit on antiques road trip, what has been the biggest profit on antiques road trip, what's the most profit made on antiques road trip, what is the most money made on antiques road trip, how much money do they start with on antiques road trip, what is the biggest sale on antiques road trip, who has made the most profit on antiques road trip, who made the biggest profit on antiques road trip, backpacking - budget travel - business travel - cruise ship - vacation - tourism - resort - cruise - road trip - destination wedding - tourist destination - best places, london - madrid - paris - prague - dubai - barcelona - rome.

© 2024 LuxuryTraveldiva

Accessibility links

• Skip to content
• Accessibility Help
• Favourite detours
• Unforgettable profits

A hair-raising road trip in North Wales

Experts Raj Bisram and Irita Marriott hit the road again, winding each other up, cracking bad jokes and looking for exquisite antiques in Wales. It’s going to be hair-raising!

It’s been no time at all since antique experts Irita Marriott and Raj Bisram last road-tripped together, but they are back by popular demand! There is only one thing our riotous rivals love more than finding quality antiques, and that’s winding each other up. It’s hair-raising stuff, quite literally in this episode. Kicking off in north Wales, they have £1,500 each in spending money and a fabulous Vanden Plas Princess to travel around in.

The last time these two met, it was Irita who took the crown, so Raj is after all the help he can get, even consulting a practitioner of the mystic arts to gain the upper hand. Meanwhile, Irita’s shopping turns into an assault course as she tackles the stairs leading into a loft crammed with antiques. But can she turn on the charm to get some tasty discounts?

It’s back to school for Raj as he heads for a remote but stunning stretch of Welsh coastline to discover how the national language was brought close to extinction before becoming a defining feature of modern-day Wales. He also picks up enough vocabulary in the class to order his afternoon tea. Bendigedig!

Then, having bought everything from barometers to Shelley tea services, it’s time for round one of this best-of-five auction showdowns.

7 months left to watch

More episodes

You are at the first episode

Small and dainty versus big and bulky — Series 27

See all episodes from Antiques Road Trip

Featured in...

Make, Fix & Refresh

Sit back, relax and enjoy some creative and inspiring programmes

It's Game Time! Buzzers, fun, and endless entertainment await!

iPlayer Lifestyle Category :: Featured Episodes

iPlayer Lifestyle category featured programmes

How to survive an antiques auction

Advice from the Antiques Road Trip experts on how best to bid at auction.

Our favourite Road Trip tales!

Our experts indulge their passion for the past when detouring from their antique hunting

How to make a profit from antiques - the experts spill the beans

The Road Trippers offer their expert advice

Related Content

Similar programmes.

• Entertainment
• Factual > Antiques
• Games & Quizzes